I was recently asked how I stay centred with so many things going on and with all the roles that I have, so thought I'd share my top tips for managing life and staying healthy with a full schedule.

Did you know that around 50% of mothers will experience postpartum depletion! 50%!!! AND can last up to 10 years for some! Umm what?

Did you also know that women are more likely to suffer from a chronic illness than men?

In my opinion this has everything to do with the way we look after ourselves and other mamas after birth and the years following. 

When I had my 12 week ultrasound the sonographer asked if I had had a vaginal birth, when I told her it was a cesarean she was shocked. She explained that usually she can see the scar and scar tissue in the ultrasound but she couldn't see mine at all.

I was so excited, I left the ultrasound and told pretty much everyone and even messaged my physio to tell her, because she was a big part of how I made that happen.

Preparing your body during pregnancy for labour and birth can have some major benefits and really help to support your recovery. Check out these 3 relatively easy tips below.

Around 15-20% of women will experience postpartum depression at some stage. When we think about the risk factors linked to postpartum depression we often think about women who have a history of mental disorders, experience stressful life events, have a lack of support, have a history of abuse, experience a pregnancy loss or have a baby who is unwell and difficult to settle, but we almost never hear about how nutritional deficiencies can increase the risk of postpartum depression also.

Studies show that there are 3 main nutritional deficiencies that can increase your risk of postpartum depression; they include omega 3 DHA and EPA, iron and vitamin D.

This pregnancy has been one of mixed emotion, having a miscarriage in just October last year really affected my ability to enjoy and accept the pregnancy at the start. In the past I was peeing on that pregnancy test the day after my period was due; however, this time it took me over a week to actually test, and then another week before I actually called to make a doctor's appointment. Because I was scared, if I accepted it it meant that I could lose it. If I went to the doctors and lost the baby again I was just wasting my own time and the doctor's time.

What supplements have I been taking and why?

What foods have I been eating?

Dealing with pregnancy conditions like nausea, constipation and fatigue.

"Although it's not common knowledge, the world's leading health organisations have stated that 95% of all cancer is diet and environment related

This literally means that at least 95 out of 100 cancer cases could have been prevented. Stated another way, 95 out of every 100 cancer cases is man-made and is caused by living in a cancerous environment" Dr Stephen Cabral, The Rain Barrel Effect

When Paige was a baby she was breast and formula fed 😱

For some people this might come as a shock and some people might not agree with it but that’s ok. 

Yes I am a big believer in natural and healthy living, but I am also a big believer in looking after the mama and ensuring that she is getting the rest and support that she needs to thrive. 

Pictured is my breast the first time I got mastitis, it might not look like much but those that have experienced it before know that it is not a fun experience 😣

I got mastitis twice after I had Paige and both times were absolutely horrible. 😦Fortunately both times I was able to identify and manage it myself without needing to go to the doctors or go on antibiotics.

I have never actually shared Paige’s birth story so thought I'd write a blog post on it.

In short 43 hours of labour, an emergency cesarean, Paige had some breathing complications which meant she was taken away from us, I didn't see or hold her until 5 hours after she was born and she had her first breastfeed at 10 hours old.

Click the link to read the full story, it’s a long one.

Why am I told I cannot have soft cheese?

Put simply- food poisoning. Due to certain hormonal and immune system changes in pregnancy the risk of infection including food borne viruses (food poisoning) increases.

In all honesty the risk of illness from soft cheese is quite low if stored and handled correctly. It is estimated that the risk of getting listeria from soft cheese to be 1 case in 5 million servings of soft cheese.

Night sweats in the early postpartum period are very common due to the excess fluid retained during pregnancy and hormonal changes, and is even more likely if you were given an IV drip during labour. Increased sweating may be noticeable during the day but it is often worse at night time.

I was so not prepared for how much fluid would come out of me postpartum, I felt like I was swimming in sweat for the first two weeks of my postpartum experience. My husband kept saying to me a few days after birth that he thought our daughter smelled funny but we couldn’t work out what it was. A few days later we realised that I was sweating so much that it was causing her to smell like BO as she soaked up my sweat in her clothes!!!

Supermarket cereals often contain lots of added sugars, preservatives and are usually not very nutritious, though they are convenient and easy. I get it, when you are trying to get everybody out the door in the morning, it's the easiest option. What I like to do on those days is have overnight oats for breakfast, just as easy as cereal but much more nutritious.

12 reasons why you should become a Nutrition Consultant for pregnancy, postpartum and babies with Oh Baby School of Holistic Nutrition.

I completed the masters certificate in August 2022 and it was the best thing I ever did. Since then my business has been growing and I am loving every minute of it. It has given me the ability to create an incredibly rewarding career that allows me to adapt to my unique schedule, set my own hours and create an income doing something I love.

Wednesday the 26th October my life and my body changed forever. I had a miscarriage. If you haven't already, go back and read my previous blog post detailing my entire experience. This blog post is a detailed explanation of my recovery and the internal shift that has occurred within me as a result of the miscarriage.

That night in the shower I pushed down to see if I could push some more blood out when a purple shrivelled grape type ‘thing’ came out. I stood staring down at it, not really sure what to do. Do I pick it up and bury it? Do I need to take a photo of it? Do I show Josh? I picked it up, had a good look, it actually made me feel queasy, and let it go down the drain. That was it, that was my baby being washed down a shower drain… WTF! Looking back now I actually wish that I had buried it in the backyard.

This loaf is perfect for pregnant and postpartum mamas and babies. It is particularly great for postpartum mamas because it is easy to eat with one hand while nap trapped, has a good balance of fats, proteins and carbohydrates and can be made prior to birth and frozen ready for when bub arrives. If you know someone getting ready to give birth, don’t buy them flowers or another swaddle (trust me she has enough), instead bake her this handy and delicious coconut blueberry bread.

Chances are if you have ever been pregnant you have been told that you need to take a parental supplement but were you ever told why, for how long, what to look for or when to start taking it? Or that not all prenatal supplements are created equal? Or that the prenatal supplement that you were recommended to take from the local supermarket might not be in your best interest?

Yep, I didn’t have any of this explained to me either. I was told to just get whatever I could from the supermarket and as long as it had folic acid in it it was fine (which you will come to learn is definitely NOT fine).

Here is my pancake recipe that I have for breakfast at least 3-4 times a week. It is so easy and also makes for a good snack when you are out and about.

The term ‘postpartum’ is used to describe the time it takes for a woman’s hormone levels and uterus to return to its pre pregnancy state, which is typically said to be 6 weeks. However, recovering from pregnancy, labour and birth can take so much longer than that and the changes that occur are so much more than just physical. Some studies suggest that it takes closer to a year to fully recover physically and emotionally from pregnancy and birth, with some experts even suggesting that it could take up to 18 months to 2 years to fully recover.